Toy.



No. 849,280. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

W. STEVENS.-

TOY. I APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1906.

wventbz Wihmobu v fume/ 8 I All 61777 ST e/VePYS v WILLIAM STEVENS, OFKEOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed May 14, 1906. Serial o- 316,897-

To all whom it nuty concern/.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM STEVENS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Keown, in the county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toys; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mechanical toys; and the object thereof is toprovide a simple, inexpensive, and durably-constructed device of thatnature.

With this end in view the invention consists in the construction,combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter fully described,pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a front view of a mechanical toy constructed inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thesame.

Referring to the drawings, the toy will be seen to represent awheel-rider and to consist of the hollow rider 6, formed of tin or anyother light metal, the wheel 7, the spokes of which radiate from the hub8 of the wheel and converge in the manner of the spokes ofbicycle-wheels. The axle 9 of the wheel passes loosely through hub 8 andextends beyond said hub on each side thereof, as shown in Fig. 1, toprovide a support for the feet of the rider. Attached rigidly to theaxle of the wheel is a balancing-weight 10, located directly beneath therider 6 and between the spokes.

To rotate wheel 7, there is provided a spring 11, one end of which isfastened to the wheel-rim, as at 12, while the otherend is fastened tothe axle, as at 13. While the term spring is employed in connection withthis member, it will be understood that the spring may be metal and ofthe coil type or may be merely a short section or strap of rubber orother elastic material, the ends of which are attached as above referredto and which is adapted when the wheel is rotated to be wound around thehub thereof.

In operating the toy the spring 11 is wound upon the axle by rotatingthe wheel 7, to the rim of which the upper end of the spring is secured.The toy is. then placed upon a smooth surface and positively started bybeing moved by hand a short distance thereover, when said wheel willcontinue its rotation, owing to the tension of the spring, which latteris of course gradually unwound during such rotation of the wheel, themovement of the wheel at once ceasing with; the complete unwinding ofthe spring. During such rotation of the wheel the rider will retain itsvertical position through the action of the balance-weight.

It is to be understood from the foregoing that while the wheel 7 iscapable of rotation upon its axle the feet of the rider, thebalance-weight, and one end of the spring are rigidly secured to theaxle by solder or any other preferred means, the opposite end of thespring being in like manner secured to the under face of the wheel-rim.

What is claimed is 1. A mechanical toy comprising a wheel provided witha hub and converging spokes; an axle loosely passing through said huband extending beyond said hub on both sides thereof, a rider for saidwheel having one foot attached to each axle extension, a balanceweightattached to said axle and located between the spokes directly oppositethe rider; and means for positively turning said wheel, said means beingconnected at one end to the rim of said wheel and at the other end tosaid axle.

2. A mechanical toy comprising a wheel provided with a hub andconverging spokes; an axle loosely passing through said hub, andextending beyond said hub on both sides thereof; a rider for said wheelhaving one foot secured to each axle extension, a balance-weight securedto said axle and located between the spokes directly opposite the rider;and a spring for positively rotating said wheel having one end fastenedto the rim thereof, and the other end fastened to said axle, said springbeing wound by rotating said wheel relatively to said axle and rider.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM STEVENS.

Witnesses:

RoBT. G. Known, DELLA KEowN.

